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A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.

Educational Value

Meant to entertain, not educate.

Positive Messages

The series touches on themes of friendship and loyalty, as the three main characters -- Mowgli, Baloo, and Bagheera -- protect and support each other.

Positive Role Models & Representations

Baloo and Bagheera are very protective of Mowgli and are very patient with him as they teach him the laws of the jungle. Mowgli himself is very loyal and protective of his friends. He's also very resourceful as he figures out ways to save himself from Shere Khan using the objects and sometimes animals he finds in the jungle.

Violence & Scariness

The plot of most episodes revolves around Shere Khan's obsession with killing Mowgli. There's some bloodless cartoon violence as Shere Khan tries to inflict harm on Mowgli or when Mowgli is defending himself. Some dangerous stunts -- like waving a burning flag or jumping off a cliff.

Sexy Stuff

Language

Consumerism

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that The Jungle Book is a CGI series that incorporates all of the memorable characters from Rudyard Kipling's stories and the 1967 Disney movie. There's some scariness, as tiger Shere Khan is constantly plotting to kill Mowgli and occasionally fighting with Baloo and Bagheera. Mowgli and his friends also sometimes perform dangerous stunts to protect themselves, such as waving a flaming branch or jumping off a bee-filled cliff. Mowgli and his animal friends are very loyal to one another and band together to fight common foes and solve problems.

What's the story?

THE JUNGLE BOOK is an adaptation based on some of the stories told in Rudyard Kipling's classic book. The series revolves around Mowgli (voiced by Emma Tate), a young boy who was raised by wolves after he was separated from his parents. He spends his days learning about the ways of the jungle from his mentors, the panther Bagheera (Sam Gold) and the bear Baloo (Jimmy Hibbert) in the jungles of India and being stalked by the tiger Shere Khan (David Holt), who wishes to get rid of the "man cub."

Is it any good?

Most episodes of The Jungle Book involve Shere Khan stalking or plotting against Mowgli and end with Mowgli figuring out a way to defend himself, administering some sort of retribution against the hapless tiger or getting saved by his friends. Additionally, Baloo is often shown attempting to provide Mowgli with some lessons regarding the jungle, but most are either completely disregarded or irrelevant to the episode at hand, leaving the impression that Mowgli isn't really learning anything about the jungle at all.

The show's formulaic structure might make for comfort viewing for kids, but the series doesn't offer much substance beyond that. More sophisticated viewers won't find enough here to keep them interested. With so many options out there, kids can find better ways to spend their cartoon time.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about books adapted into movies or TV shows. What are some of your favorite adaptations? What are some of the things that are lost or gained when books are adapted for the screen? What are some books that would make great movies?

How do shows like The Jungle Book teach kids to appreciate literature or lessons about friendship? What are some other lessons that can be learned from TV shows?

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